Hours after his dramatic arrest on graft accusations, Kiambu Governor Kimani Wamatangi broke his silence Tuesday afternoon, April 15, 2025, with a defiant message of resilience and calm to his supporters, even as crowds gathered outside the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) headquarters in protest.
In a post on the social media platform X, Wamatangi called for peace, urging his constituents to stand firm amid what he described as intimidation.
The embattled governor, who is being held at the EACC’s Integrity Centre in Nairobi, signalled his intention to speak to the press shortly.
“To the great people of Kiambu County, I urge you to remain calm and peaceful. We shall overcome. We will never give in to intimidation!!!” Wamatangi wrote.
“I will be addressing the media shortly at the EACC Headquarters, Integrity House, Nairobi,” he added.
His statement came in the wake of rising tensions across Kiambu and Nairobi, where pockets of demonstrators took to the streets demanding his release.
Outside the Integrity Centre, protestors chanted and waved placards, blocking sections of Jakaya Kikwete Road and forcing police to intervene.
“Ametutendea… Wamatangi ametutendea…” the crowd sang – a Swahili chant loosely translating to “He has worked for us… Wamatangi has worked…”
The arrest
Earlier in the day, Wamatangi had been whisked from his Kiambu residence in the backseat of an unmarked SUV, escorted by EACC detectives as a growing crowd gathered outside his home.
Officers fired in the air to disperse supporters attempting to block the arrest, accusing the national government of orchestrating the move.
As the convoy left, the governor waved from the vehicle’s window — an image that quickly went viral across social platforms and local news bulletins.
The protests in Nairobi mirrored the unrest seen in Kiambu that morning, where residents chanted anti-government slogans and accused President William Ruto’s administration of targeting the governor for political reasons.
Wamatangi’s arrest is part of an expansive corruption probe by the EACC, targeting what investigators have described as a systemic misuse of public funds within Kiambu County.
At the centre of the investigation is a Ksh1.5 billion scandal, which investigators say involves fictitious payments, irregular procurement, and conflict of interest in county contracts.
In a statement issued by EACC, the Commission confirmed that Ksh12 million and USD 13,000 in cash were recovered from Wamatangi’s residence – funds they believed to be proceeds of corruption.
Alongside Wamatangi, nine senior county officials and one business associate were arrested.
The probe centres on the irregular awarding of a Ksh230 million contract for an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system to Filtronic International — a firm believed to have ties with individuals inside the county government.
The road ahead
As of Tuesday evening, Wamatangi remained in custody at Integrity House, awaiting further interrogation.
The EACC has not indicated whether formal charges will be filed immediately, though officials say the evidence recovered may fast-track the process.
For now, Wamatangi’s public stance is one of defiance – a governor cast as both suspect and martyr, caught in the increasingly blurred space between politics and justice.
Whether his call for calm holds among his supporters remains to be seen.
Martin Oduor
The alchemist of literary works – a master wordsmith with a proven record of transforming the raw materials of language into a rich tapestry of emotion, thought, and imagination.
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